CMS Pub. 100-16, ch. 4, § 10.5.1

The following rules apply to any MA plan, regardless of plan type, and to any category of

benefit – basic, mandatory supplemental, and optional supplemental.

• All plan benefits must be offered uniformly to all enrollees residing in the service

area of the plan;

• When an MA plan has an authorized service area with one or more approved

segments, as defined in 42 CFR §422.2, the MA plan may vary premiums and cost-sharing by segment, but the premium and cost-sharing must be uniform within each

segment. Furthermore, plan benefits must be uniformly provided throughout the

authorized service area of the plan, including any segments in the service area;

• The uniform premium requirement prohibits plans from offering nominal discounts to

those enrollees electing to pay premiums electronically;

• All plans must offer to, but may not require of, their enrollees:

o The option of having their premiums deducted from their Social Security check or

benefit;

o The option of having their premiums paid by an electronic transfer mechanism

(such as automatic charges of an account at a financial institution or a credit or

debit card account); and

o The option of paying their premium by check.